Xiaojie was born and grew up in Shanghai, China and has always had a heart to embrace a wider world and explore different cultures. Her passion for travel and languages led her to Chicago, where she had opportunities to experience various aspects of the world as well as pursue a teaching career. She earned a B.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and an M.Ed. in Curriculum Studies. She is currently a doctoral student in Education. She has been teaching and tutoring students of all ages and levels, both in classrooms and online. By designing creative curriculum and implanting various culture-related classes, Xiaojie aims to create a student-centered and interactive classroom environment where students can be fully engaged in learning and exploring Chinese language and culture. In her spare time, Xiaojie enjoys spending time in nature by hiking, rock climbing, and horse riding; she also enjoys skateboarding, reading, learning languages, playing video games and watching anime.